NBA playoffs 2024: First-round news, schedule, scores and highlights (2024)

ESPN

Apr 20, 2024, 12:10 AM ET

The first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs begins this Saturday and expect plenty of drama after a memorable regular season.

The Boston Celtics clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in March and have homecourt advantage through the entire postseason as they look to return to the Finals for the first time since 2022 and hang an NBA championship banner for the first time since 2008. Among the series in the East to watch will be the No. 2 seed New York Knicks, who will clash against reigning MVP Joel Embiid and the No. 7 seed Philadelphia 76ers.

In the West, the defending champion Denver Nuggets are the 2-seed, behind the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets drew a high-profile matchup for the first round, taking on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

After the play-in tournament, the 16-team NBA playoffs will begin with four games on Saturday and four more on Sunday. Eight teams from each conference will reach the first round and face off in a best-of-7 series to advance. All four rounds of the NBA playoffs are best-of-7, and teams are not reseeded after each round. The team with the better regular-season record in each series will have homecourt advantage for that series. All series are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the team with the better record hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 (if necessary).

We'll have complete coverage of the NBA playoffs all the way through the 2024 NBA Finals, which tip off on June 6 on ABC and the ESPN app.

MORE: Play-in tournament coverage | Previewing all 20 postseason teams | What eliminated teams need to do this summer?

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston Celtics (1) vs. Miami Heat (8)

Game 1: Sunday at Boston, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 2: Wednesday April 24 at Boston, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Saturday April 27 at Miami, 6 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Monday April 29 at Miami
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1 at Boston
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at Miami
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Boston

'Inspiring' Bam, Heat handle Bulls, ready for 'dogfight' with Celtics
Sources: Heat's Butler (knee) expected to miss several weeks
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Holiday lands Celtics contract extension ahead of playoffs
Celtics set NBA record with 0 FT in reg. season loss to Bucks
Pelton's regular-season grades: Celtics get an A

New York Knicks (2) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (7)

Game 1: at New York (6 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 2: at New York, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Thursday April 25 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Sunday April 28 at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at New York
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at Philadelphia
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at New York (TNT)

Knicks' Brunson using season-ending turnover as inspiration
Knicks clinch 2-seed on season's final day
Randle's season ends due to shoulder injury
How OG Anunoby turbocharged the Knicks' offense

Milwaukee Bucks (3) vs. Indiana Pacers (6)

Game 1: Sunday at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 2: Tuesday at Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Game 3: Friday April 26 at Indiana, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday April 28 at Indiana, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at Milwaukee
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at Indiana
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at Milwaukee (TNT)

Bucks' Lillard practices fully, Giannis remains out of live drills
Sources: Bucks preparing to be without Giannis to start playoffs
Bucks look to put emotions aside vs. familiar foe
Pacers avoid play-in on season's final day
Game balls, Dame Time taunts and the budding Bucks-Pacers beef

Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs. Orlando Magic (5)

Game 1: Saturday at Cleveland, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: Monday at Cleveland, 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Game 3: Thursday April 25 at Orlando, 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Game 4: Saturday April 27 at Orlando, 1 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at Cleveland
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at Orlando
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Cleveland

Magic win on season's final day to set up first-round series with Cavs
Cavs' LeVert maintains resilience after cancer surgery in 2021
Inside the beef between Dan Gilbert and Mat Ishbia
How a 5-20 slump turned the Magic into one of the NBA's best surprises

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (8)

Game 1: Sunday at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 2: Wednesday April 24 at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Saturday April 27 at New Orleans, 3:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Monday April 29 at New Orleans
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1 at Oklahoma City
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at New Orleans
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Oklahoma City

With no Zion, Pelicans oust Kings to set up OKC series
Thunder clinch 1-seed, keep 'eyes on the prize'
Daigneault wins NBCA Coach of the Year honors
Inside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's improbable rise

Denver Nuggets (2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7)

Game 1: Saturday at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 2: Monday at Denver, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Thursday April 25 at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Saturday April 27 at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 (if necessary): Monday April 29 at Denver
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at Los Angeles
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at Denver (TNT)

'Great one:' Jokic's impact draws LeBron's praise
LeBron: Lakers' series vs. Nuggets not about past
Why Nuggets are a matchup nightmare for Lakers
Lakers' Ham slams idea of trying to dodge Nuggets
How Jokic became the best passer in the NBA

Minnesota Timberwolves (3) vs. Phoenix Suns (6)

Game 1: Saturday at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: Tuesday at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Friday April 26 at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday April 28 at Phoenix, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 (if necessary): Tuesday April 30 at Minnesota
Game 6 (if necessary): Thursday May 2 at Phoenix
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday May 4 at Minnesota

Beal on playoffs: 'This is the most exciting part of the year'
Suns' final day win over Wolves sets up playoff rematch
For the Timberwolves, winning finally feels real
What's next for the sale of the Timberwolves
What to make of a topsy-turvy season for the Suns

LA Clippers (4) vs. Dallas Mavericks (5)

Game 1: Sunday at Los Angeles, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 2: Tuesday at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Friday April 26 at Dallas, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday April 28 at Dallas, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday May 1 at Los Angeles
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday May 3 at Dallas
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday May 5 at Los Angeles

Clippers fined $25K for violating NBA injury reporting rules
Clips' Leonard still battling inflammation, remains questionable
The moment that transformed Westbrook and the Clippers' title chase
How Paul George became the archetype for an NBA generation
The Mavs' gamble on the Kyrie-Luka partnership is paying off